e-Xplore Devon - Bringing e-Bike Sales, Rental and Servicing to the South Hams

Tell me a little about the background of e-Xplore Devon.

The business came about as a meeting of minds. Myself and Andy both live in the village of East Charleton in the South Hams and got to know each other over a few drinks. I was looking for a change in career direction and Andy had recently sold an engineering business in Oxford and was now looking for something to get involved with in the South Hams.

I had been to a Gadget Show Live exhibition at the NEC with my son a few years ago. Whilst there, I was very impressed with some of the e-Bikes they were demonstrating. A lot of us like cycling but don’t like cycling up hills which can be difficult down here and e-Bikes seemed the perfect solution to a very obvious problem. Many people like leisure cycling and aren’t necessarily the stereotypical fitness fanatic. There was no-one really selling or hiring e-bikes this side of Plymouth or Exeter so we decided to fill a hole in the market. We have launched the only dedicated e-Bike sales, hire and service centre in South Devon smack bang in the middle of the beautiful South Hams. It’s great for holidaymakers to be able to hire an e-bike from us while they’re down in Salcombe, Kingsbridge, Dartmouth,Totnes or in fact anywhere in the South hams. We can deliver and collect them to and from their holiday homes and make the whole process incredibly easy for them.

Tell us about hiring an e-Bike from e-Xplore Devon

Once you’ve made the booking through our website we can drop the e-Bikes to you. You can keep them for a day or two or for the week. Everything is included in the price - the helmet, the pump, the lock, a multitool, high vis vest and the instructions and off you go! The batteries give you a range of about 40-50 miles, depending on how you ride them, on a single charge. You’re good for a day’s cycling and then you charge them overnight and they’re ready again for the next morning. We can also provide bike racks in case you are wanting to take them further afield like up onto Dartmoor or Haldon Forest. Our e-Bikes, as legally required, are pedal-assisted up to 15.5 miles an hour via the centrally-mounted Bosch motor but you can obviously go faster under your own steam. They have four power settings and go from eco, tour, sport and turbo depending on the level of pedal-assistance you require.

What services do you offer?

As well as the bike hire we also sell a range of e-Bikes and all the accessories - including Helmets, High-Vis vests, Locks and Pannier bags. We also service e-Bikes and regular bicycles. Andy has over 20 years of engineering experience so he’s good with a spanner and we are a Bosch certified centre. Your e-Bike, while it is with us, is in safe hands!

What are people most surprised about when they visit you?

We offer a ‘try Before you Buy’ service. People can hire a bike for a day or a half-day and then if they decide to buy it the cost of the hire is taken off the sale price. They are always surprised at how much more comfortable and enjoyable cycling can be with an e-bike. Coming up Aveton Gifford hill is certainly a lot different on an e Bike than a regular bike!

What Safety Measurements have you put in place through Covid 19?

Because we are seen as a necessity product we have been allowed to be open throughout Covid 19. We have put social distancing measurements in place by limiting the amount of people that come in the shop at any one time. Usually people make appointments before they come in and we are happy to wear masks while you are in the shop if you would like. The bikes are fully disinfected after each hire/demo and we are committed to keeping our customers safe during this time.

What do you love most about your job?

I love the fact that we’re providing a product that people are genuinely excited about receiving. We deal with happy, cheerful people on a daily basis whether they are down here on holiday and making sure they make the most of every minute of it or whether they’ve been saving for the e-bike of their dreams and are over the moon at finally getting it. If you’re selling a fun, exciting product then you’re basically trading in happiness - it makes Monday mornings much more palatable!

We are making cycling accessible to more people. Put in the very simplest terms e-biking makes peddling easier so you can go further and stay out for longer. We’re enabling people to explore the beautiful and varied landscape of South Devon in a cleaner greener way, whether they’re here on holiday or are lucky enough to live here.